Bu cadde çok işlek.

This street is very busy.

Breakdown of Bu cadde çok işlek.

• olmak: to be
• çok: very
• bu: this
• işlek: busy

Questions & Answers about Bu cadde çok işlek.

Why is there no verb like to be in Bu cadde çok işlek?

In Turkish simple-present descriptive sentences, the verb “to be” is dropped (zero-copula). The adjective (işlek) itself serves as the predicate. For formality or emphasis you can add the suffix -dir to the adjective (Bu cadde çok işlektir), but in everyday speech the copula is omitted.

What is the role of çok in the sentence?

çok is an adverb meaning very. It intensifies the adjective that follows. In Turkish, çok always precedes the adjective (e.g. çok işlek, çok güzel, çok hızlı).

What does bu mean here, and can I use şu or o instead?

bu is a proximal demonstrative meaning this (near the speaker). You can replace it with şu (that, near the listener) or o (that over there) depending on context. If you drop the demonstrative entirely, you get Cadde çok işlek, which is a more general statement: “The street is very busy.”

How do I say a busy street (indefinite) in Turkish?

To express an indefinite noun with an adjective, insert the article bir between them:
 işlek bir cadde = “a busy street.”
Without bir, işlek cadde can occur in headlines or notes, but bir makes the indefinite meaning clear in normal sentences.